Beautiful Mess
by YourRedRightAnkle
Summary: She never dreamed that the expiry of her visa would be the least of her worries. However, now under the suspicion of being the 2nd Kira, Pepper Collins is thrown into a supernatural world of death notes, detectives and endless complications. Eventual LxOC
1. Detainment

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Death note, or any aspects of existing plot. **

**A/N **Well, this is different! It has been ages since I have posted anything, and never have I posted to this fandom. Yes, it is all very new. Anyway, this story has been rated for a reason. It will include scenes of a sexual nature in later chapters, so read at your own risk. Also…Reviews are very much appreciated; please let me know what you think.

_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

**Chapter one - Detainment**

**May 28****th**** 2004, 5.15pm**

_**One hour after detainment **_

She lived knowing that it was only a matter of time.

The cold metal cuffs rubbed against her skin as she shifted her hips further back into the chair. How long would she be forced to sit here? She shifted again and tilted her head towards the ceiling, directing her eyes downwards in hopes to catch a glimpse of anything other than the pitch black of the blindfold. Nothing.

She slouched back in the seat, swallowing thickly as she chased her racing breath. In the deep recesses of her mind, behind the thick haze of worry and fear, she wondered how the Japanese police could be so cliché. It almost seemed like some kind of sick joke- apprehended by masked men and taken to a 'secret lair', to be blindfolded and hand-cuffed to a rather uncomfortable chair. It was like something out of a B-grade crime show.

She shook her head, her face contorting in pain as her shoulder blade dug into the steel of the back rest. Perhaps moving was not a good idea, her confines were tight and they certainly would not be loosening any time soon. She sobbed quietly under her breath as she frantically searched her mind for answers. She had always known that once she was discovered, the Japanese Government would not be lenient with her. After all, what she was doing was illegal, and the crime she was associated with was very real. However, having said that, she did not know that she would be held to this extent. The whole scenario was so drastic, so farfetched…To think all this would be linked to an expired visa?

Her head snapped up at the creak of a door, and moments later light footsteps could be heard clinking across the floor. Nausea flooded her stomach, and her hands began to sweat. _What will they do with me?_

"Pepper Collins?"

The deep male voice caused her body to seize up, and her breathing to hitch in her throat._ I don't think I can do this._

"That's your name, isn't it?" The voice persisted.

"Y-yes."

Aizawa stood stiffly as he observed the young woman- a tiny little thing, with dark hair and pale skin. Her whole body shook in distress. He scoffed softly and cocked his head to the side. It was ridiculous to think that this girl could be the second Kira, that she was capable of murdering all those people. Even with her connection to the recent tape recordings; she just appeared too frail. _Frail_, yes, that was the word to describe her, for at the moment she did not look like she could kill a fly with a baseball bat. Perhaps this was the reason behind the 'minimum' security. It seems that, although L had inferred that this girl may have some involvement with the Kira case, Misa Amane was obviously his prime suspect, not Pepper Collins. All of this was just precaution.

Aizawa grunted and turned away, his arms now stretched above his head._ Hope this thing doesn't take too long, _he thought idly. Exhaustion was beginning to take its toll and his patience was already wavering. Last night had been exceptionally difficult, and even after he headed home for the night, the investigation weighed heavy on his mind, preventing him from getting any shut-eye. _Ahh, I'll be glad when all this is over._

Suddenly, the shrill ringing of a phone filled the room and both occupants jerked in the direction of the noise. Pepper pressed her lips together as she listened, one ring, two, three, the receiver was swiped up but no voice was heard. Instead there was a heavy clunk as something was positioned on the desk in front of her. Immediately she attempted to pull back, but it was obvious she was put in this particular chair for a reason, it was not going to budge.

"Pepper Collins?" She froze, her breathing catching in her throat. This was a new voice, a strange one, completely alien as if spoken from behind a fan, or more likely, a voice filter of some sort.

"Y-yes, yes I'm…Pepper Collins" She stammered nervously, her words almost unrecognizable due to her patchy Japanese and shaking vocal cords.

"_Do you know why you're here, Miss Collins?"_ _English_. Pepper sighed softly. The strange voice spoke English.

"_Miss Collins?"_

"_I-I…ah"_ Her body tensed as she tried to work through her scrambled thoughts. _"J-Japan is not my home country…I have been here for over 4 years...M-my visa…"_

"_Yes, I am aware of that. However, that is not the reason you are being detained." _

Pepper swallowed the sob crawling up her throat, and pressed her lips together, fear threatening to take hold. _They know...they know about London! _How? How could this have happened? Her father said that he would take care of it, that everything would be ok. What now?

Aizawa frowned as he watched the emotions pass over the young woman's face, horror, fear, confusion. Although his English left much to be desired, he could tell her answers were sketchy. Perhaps this girl had more to do with the Kira case than he first thought.

"_I-I don't know…what..."_ Her voice trailed off into the dead of the room, her body rigid, frozen to the back of the chair.

"_Pepper Collins, you have been arrested under the suspicion of being the second Kira." _

Pepper's face knotted in confusion. _Kira. _They thought her to be the second Kira? _Well, I wasn't expecting that, _she thought bemusedly. _What the hell are they thinking? _Apart from what she had heard on the news, and the brief snippets she picked up from her roommate, she knew next to nothing about the Kira murders. Sure, she knew enough to know she did not agree with them, but she certainly was no expert. How could they think her capable of crimes that she knew so little about?

"_I'm sorry but…I think you've made a mistake."_ Her voice was soft but controlled, almost confident compared to her previous words. While the accusations were serious, her innocence allowed her a small amount of hope.

"_Hmmm…Is that so? Well perhaps you can explain why yours were one of three sets of fingerprints on the video tapes sent to Sakura TV?"_ The computerized thrum of the voice had lost some of its precision and began to sound more human, maybe even a little bored.

Pepper furrowed her brow causing the course fabric of the blindfold to scratch against the skin of her nose. She thought over the past few weeks, searched back. She recalled plain days when she laid sick in bed with the flu, an angry phone call from her boss, and an argument she had with her room mate over missing malteasers. She recalled the Kira broadcasts. Although she could only briefly remember the messages, she could still picture the gothic script and hear the deep filtered voice. What she could not remember was how she became involved in such tapes. _One of three...I am not the only suspect._

"_I don't know…I- don't know how…I mean, I saw the broadcasts, but I don't know how…It's just that, my apartment is full of all these weird tapes and old occult movies…My room mate-"_

"_-Kameko Saito?" _

Pepper froze momentarily, before replying_ "Yes… Kameko Saito..."_

A strange sound which could be considered a hum met her ears. She bit her lip softly and rolled her hands into fists. _"She's one of the other suspects isn't she?"_

After a brief silence the voice spoke again._ "Pepper Collins, how well do you know Misa Amane?"_ Apparently he decided to ignore her question and move on with the investigation.

"_Misa Amane?"_ Pepper frowned, was there a reason behind his avoidance, or was he just trying to move things along? She sighed heavily and attempted to readjust in the chair, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. _"Not very well…She's one of Kameko's friends. I never really had much to do with her." _

"_I see, and when was the last time you saw Miss Amane?" _

Pepper paused, the stuffiness of the room and the tightness of the blindfold was beginning to make her feel nauseous. Again she tried to readjust in the chair. _"She came by last week to speak with Kameko…but she didn't stick around long."_ She answered finally, her body now less comfortable than it was before.

"_And before that?" _

She squeezed her eyes shut behind the dark fabric and swallowed thickly. While her mind knew that she needed to concentrate, her body was giving in to the stress of the situation. _"I…I can't remember an exact time, maybe a few weeks ago, she would sort of just drop in at random times. She and Kameko were always making these weird poltergeist films that they would send off as pranks…" _

The silence that ensued was long and uncomfortable and Pepper was unsure if it was a pensive silence, or if she was expected to keep speaking. Either way, it was becoming obvious she had nothing more to add. She frowned warily and dropped her chin to her chest, her pale eyes closing beneath the blindfold. _Waiting. _The minutes rolled on, quiet and disconcerting, and before long she could hear the impatient tap, tap, tap of a foot drumming against the linoleum flooring. It seems the other occupant of the room was becoming just as frustrated with the situation as herself.

To prove her point, the man sighed heavily as if to urge the investigation along. It worked too, for not a second later, as if in answer to his blatant show of irritation, the voice spoke up once more. "_Thank you, Miss Collins, that will be all._ Aihara, please take her to the holding cell at the end of hallway 9, see to it she gets what she needs."

**A/N well, that's it. First chapter. Please let me know what you think, criticism, advice and suggestions are always welcome. **


	2. Advantageous

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Death note, or any aspects ****of**** existing plot. **

**A/N **I am finally back with a second chapter! I hope you enjoy it, although I'm afraid it's more necessary plot building than excitement…Things should pick up next chapter, just bear with me.

**Timekeeper101 – **Thank you so much for your review, it means a lot coming from such a talented writer. I'm so glad you can envision Pepper so clearly! I will be trying to describe her further, but I am just a bit cautious of lumping it all in one go. Anyways, thanks again for the review! :)

**Under A Killing Moon – **Thank you so much for your review! I really appreciate it. LOL….and my penname? Well, actually it is from my favourite song 'Red right ankle' by the Decemberists. Ahh, I wish I had a more exciting explanation for you, but ohh well! At least it got you to take notice, right? Thanks again! :)

* * *

_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2 – Advantageous **

**June 3rd, 2004**

Dark eyes locked on the large flat-screen television, darting inquisitively between the four split-frames. Frame one displayed the distressed form of Misa Amane, blindfolded, and meticulously restrained. The extent of her confinement was easily the most severe, especially when compared to frame three-Pepper Collins and frame four- Soichirou Yagami. While Light's incarceration was not as harsh as Misa's, the handcuffs still remained, unlike the occupants of the other two frames.

Turning away from the screen, L pursed his lips and leaned forward in his seat, his bare toes gripping the cushions as one thin hand reached out for the cup of coffee that sat upon the table. He frowned as his fingers delicately enveloped the porcelain handle. _Cold._ It seems, once again he has allowed time to slip away from him. He stared impassively at the dark liquid inhabiting his favourite cup; disappointed with its temperature, he slid it back onto the table. Cold coffee was just one of the horrors which came with the monotony of twenty-four hour surveillance.

It had been Six days since the original detainments, and so far there had been no significant leads. It was clear from the beginning that the progression of the case would be very slow going, however, after Misa Amane's sudden change in attitude, and the voluntary incarceration of Light Yagami, the man whom L believed to be the original Kira, tensions among the task force had reached their peak. Undisputedly, the question weighing on everyone's mind was how to proceed.

L readjusted in the plush hotel chair, hands perched on knees as his critical gaze focused in on the young brunette inhabiting frame two. Light Yagami sat with his back pressed against the small cot, dead-bolted to the wall of the cell. His head was lowered as if staring mindlessly at the cement floor, but his eyes remained sharp, calculating. The young detective skimmed his thumb across his bottom lip. _Just what are you planning, Kira?_

While it was clear to him that Light's recent announcement was premeditated, L had yet to grasp the reasoning behind such a bold move. Logically, he intended to clear his name and alleviate the suspicion surrounding him, but for this to work the killings would have needed to continue, not cease completely. No, the whole scenario felt _wrong._ This could not have been Light-_or Kira's_ only motive. But if not to clear his name, then what…? _Unless_…_Could it be that this is just phase one? That Kira has planned as far ahead as his own release?_

An exaggerated sigh broke L's train of thought as Matsuda collapsed on the lounge seat beside him. "How much longer can this go on?" the young officer complained loudly, his head lolling back to rest on the couch cushions. As usual, L chose to ignore him, instead turning to acknowledge Watari as he set a large tray of pastries on the table in front of him. Needless to say, the sight of the strawberry scrolls, vanilla slices and caramel tarts instantly sent the sweet-toothed detective's stomach into fits of hunger and without pause his long pale fingers were reaching for the platter. Sweets, after all, were terrific in aiding deductive thought processes.

With this notion in mind, L sunk his teeth into the jelly-like custard of his vanilla slice, and drew his eyes back to the frames on the television, once again settling on Light Yagami. With slight reluctance, L had to accept the likelihood of Light's release. It was clear that with his vast intelligence, it was not impossible for Light to have planned weeks, perhaps months, in advance. However, the probability of him being able to predict the actions of others so accurately, so _precisely _that he could ensure his own release…well, it was very low, perhaps a 6% chance. Nevertheless, it was still worth being considered. Light certainly was not one to be underestimated. Yes, it was becoming clear that a plan B was in order.

Drawing forward in his seat, now slightly more determined, L set his sights on a new target. Frame three- Pepper Collins (or more accurately _Emery_ Collins) the young woman arrested after forensics identified her fingerprints on the video tapes sent to Sakura TV. In the days following her detainment L had performed various interrogations and it soon became clear that she was not involved in the Kira case beyond being in the wrong place at the wrong time._ But that is not to say her arrest won't prove to be advantageous…_

After retrieving his mobile phone from the pocket of his baggy jeans, L quickly punched in the necessary digits and pressed the device to his ear. "Watari, I am going to need you to organize a meeting for myself and Miss. Collins."

"_**A meeting? L, do you think that wise?" **_

L sighed softly to himself; he had expected such a response. While he was positive she was harmless, any form of synthetic identity fraud could not be ignored. "Mmm, yes. I am afraid that in this instance face to face interaction is necessary."

Watari paused briefly before responding, his voice taking on its usual professional tone. _**"Very well…Preparations will be made immediately. I shall have everything in order by this afternoon."**_

"That will suffice. Thank you Watari." With that said L stashed his phone back in his pocket and turned back to the screens.

* * *

_One, two, three…four, five, six…wait, no that's the same one…five…Hmm, I'm sure there were more in this corner than five…_

Pepper sighed loudly and drew her eyes away from the ceiling. God, she was bored. Reduced to counting the imperfections of the cement ceiling, what next? To be honest, she preferred hysteria, at least then she had the crying and the hyperventilating to keep her busy. But that could not last, of course. After days of confinement one becomes used to the still emptiness of a cell and the constant fear of the unknown. For Pepper, the acceptance of her circumstances came at 4:17am, the morning of the fourth day. Ever since then she has had to deal with her intense boredom, and more notably, her growing feeling of loneliness. Didn't her captives know she was not a solitary person? Did they not care that one of her greatest fears was being alone? _Inconsiderate bastards. _

Pepper let out a frustrated grunt and returned her grey eyes to the ceiling, once more in need of a distraction. She resumed counting the cracks and imperfections adorning the otherwise smooth cement, this time focusing on the corner closest to her feet. _Seven…eight, nine…_ Her mind was already drifting; nothing could have prepared her for…

"_Pepper Collins…" _

The pitch of her scream shocked even herself, and the speed in which she tried to stand sent her body plummeting to the ground. Man, she hated when he did that. Seriously, a warning of some sort wouldn't go a stray! A beep, a ring, the grand symphony orchestra, hell, she would settle for a fog-horn! Anything would be better than having that garbled, alien-like voice shock her from her stupor!

"_Are you okay, Miss. Collins? It seems once again I have managed to startle you." _

_Ya think? _Pepper thought sulkily as she pushed herself from the ground and back up onto the cot. Surely she should be getting used to his voice by now…_Perhaps it is something I'll never get used to. _

Pepper shuddered at the notion. The last thing she wanted was to be haunted by that synthetic voice for the rest of her life. _Hopefully it won't come to that._ She sighed softly and tucked her oily dark hair behind her ears, her attentions reluctantly turning to the camera positioned in the far right corner of the room. _"Yes, I'm ok…" _She replied wryly, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice. For a moment she thought back to the first day of confinement and the fear she felt when hearing that voice- so distant and foreign. But like the hysteria, the fear did not last and she soon realized that the voice was just a voice. Without the solidity of a body, there was nothing for her to be afraid of. No, as long as she was in this room (as much as she wanted to leave it) she was safe.

"_Mmm, good. It would be most inconvenient if you were otherwise."_

Pepper's eyes widened and her back tensed. Never was she very superstitious but… _Why do I get the feeling that I just jinxed myself? _

…_Oh sod it all…_

_

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**A/N **_Done_ and Done. So that's chapter 2…I know, not overly exciting. I think that's why it took me so long to write it. It was sadly necessary though, and it has led me in nicely to the next chapter.

Once again, I ask you bear with me. The next chapter will be posted a lot sooner than this one was, and it shall be (hopefully) a bit more enjoyable. LOL. Anyways feedback is wonderful, so **please review**! And if any one is interested in being a BETA reader for me, please let me know! :)


	3. Meeting a Phantom

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Death note, or any aspects of existing plot. **

**A/N **Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, or added this story to their favourites or alerts list! You guys rock my socks! :)

Also, sorry for the long wait. I hope this extra long chapter will make up for it!

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_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

**

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**

**Chapter 3 – Meeting a Phantom**

She was nervous. God, she was nervous! In fact, to say she was nervous would be a huge understatement. No, it would be more accurate to say she was on the verge of breakdown. _Deep breaths, deep breaths…_

It was deathly silent in the plush hotel lobby, as Pepper trailed silently behind the tall afro-haired man, her much shorter legs struggling to keep up with his quick pace.

_Why does he have to walk so fast?_ _I'm certainly in no hur-woah! _She felt her body plummet forward as she tripped passed the check-in desk, her flip-flops having caught on the bottom of her ragged jeans.

_Smooth, Pepper, very smooth._Her face flushed a deep red and her stomach protested with fits of nausea. The obtrusive stares of the hotel's employees were making her self-conscious enough; she did not need to draw more attention to herself. She felt the bile rise in her throat and she knew she was probably sweating bullets.

_Now, whatever you do, don't humiliate yourself further by throwing up in the nearest pot-plant. Don't throw up! Don't throw up! Do. Not. Throw. Up! _Pepper wrapped her arms around her torso as they stood waiting for the elevator, her sights set longingly on a pretentiously green fern situated beside an expensive-looking leather lounge. _Man, it would feel good to chuck up in that…_

A high-pitched ding drew Pepper's attention to the heavy metal doors before her, opening slowly to reveal the small, polished interior. Her legs moved slowly as she entered the elevator, one hand absently moving up to cup her throat. Now was not the time for her to be in such an undersized, _nauseatingly_ confined space. However, it seems she had no other option, she had somewhere to be and this was surely the fastest way to get there. So with this as incentive, she decided to ignore her sudden bout of claustrophobia and focus on something else, but what? Her eyes immediately scanned the floor, franticly looking for a spot, a scratch, a scuff mark, _something_ to focus on. Instead her eyes found the smooth surface of a pot.

_Ohh, for crying out loud! Who puts a plant in an elevator?_

For a short moment she let herself examine the infuriating thing, noticing quickly that the plant itself was indisputably fake. Nevertheless, her stomach gave a dramatic lurch. Why couldn't this day be over?

_Ok, I've really got to try and calm down. Just think happy, un-sick thoughts. _Sighing shakily, Pepper chanced a glance at the man standing beside her, hoping to take comfort in the presence of another person. Mr. Aihara (as he'd addressed himself earlier) stood casually with his hands buried in his pockets and his features screwed up in impatience. His dark eyes were set in a glare, directed determinedly at the doors in front of him. Pepper wondered idly if he ever smiled, or if he was perpetually annoyed. She couldn't blame him, she supposed, _he has got a pretty rough job. _She frowned thoughtfully then, her mind drudging up memories of forceful hands and metal cuffs. Suddenly the elevator jerked to a stop and the doors rattled open, the sight of the long, carpeted hallway pulling Pepper back to the present, and causing her nerves to rage worse than ever. _Not long now…_

She was told very little during the car ride from the place she was detained and the hotel they now reside. Mr. Aihara had only mentioned briefly that she would be participating in a face-to-face interview with the head of the investigation. Pepper guessed this meant that the alien voice which had been plaguing her for the last seven days was finally going to get a face and a body. Strangely, this scared her more than anything else. She wasn't an idiot, she knew who was running the Kira investigation, and yet, she couldn't quite accept it. She felt like she was meeting a phantom, a figment, something that she never truly believed was actually there. And for what? What could she tell this being which she hadn't already? What could she possibly have to offer besides a long history of unfortunate contingencies?

_God, I'm not handling this. _

Suddenly, the bile in her throat rose higher and she found herself reaching out to clutch the arm of her escort. She couldn't remember a time when her stomach had been so weak.

Pepper's feet froze as her clammy fingers locked around the fabric of Aihara's suit jacket, immediately causing his steps to falter. He stopped jerkily and whipped his head around to face her, his dark eyes blunt and questioning. Pepper floundered, "I-ah-I need…"_ Speak you fool!_

Aihara continued to stare at her, watching as her shoulders shook and her knuckles turned white around his sleeve. His mouth opened to ask 'what's wrong', but when her free hand reached up to cup her mouth, it became blatantly obvious. Instinctively he wrapped his arm around her own, holding her up as her body gave a small lurch. "Ahh, there's a bathroom in the suite, we're nearly there. Think you can make it?"

Her anxious eyes darted up to his face. Could she make it? Her stomach said 'no' but… She gave a faint nod and tugged at Aihara's arm to get moving. They raced down the hall, Mr. Aihara setting an even faster pace than what they were previously walking. Pepper assumed he was determined to get her to the suite before she decided to blow chunks all over his favourite dress shoes. Needless to say, with this for motivation, it was not long before they arrived at door 974 and Pepper was on a direct path to the bathroom. The sordid sound of retching ensued.

* * *

The tiles were cold against her denim-clad legs as Pepper sat recuperating in the small space between the toilet bowl and the bathroom wall. Her body felt strained and lethargic._ I don't want to have to move… _

She wondered indolently how long she could sit there. Whether it was possible for her to dwell in this bathroom forever, crammed up against porcelain and tiles. _Probably not, s_he answered herself silently, and before her mind could go into the various pros and cons of bathroom living, she straightened her back and pushed herself from the floor._ No more…_She could delay this no more. Her throat was sore and her tongue was bitter, but the nausea had passed and at that moment, that would have to be enough.

It is a frightening thing, to see your reflection after seven days of confinement. Frightening and strangely surreal. If she could, Pepper would have avoided the experience all together. She didn't need to see what the hotel clerks were staring at, she didn't need to go into the coming interview with less confidence than she already had. As the saying goes 'ignorance is bliss' and as of today, she had planned to live by this statement.

However, this became infinitely more difficult upon noticing that the glossy rectangular mirror stretched the entire length of the bathroom, completely and utterly unavoidable in its monstrousness. Maybe she could make a dash for it, or close her-_Damn. _Too late. Her eyes had already locked with those of the girl in the reflection. There was no going back now. She visibly cringed as she observed her features; grey eyes surrounded by swollen red lids, sickly white cheeks marred by mascara tears, chapped lips, oily dark hair… Her face was a physical reminder of the days which had passed.

She looked away, her face dropping downward as she slumped forward to turn on the faucet. She was delaying again but she couldn't help it. She gave her mouth a quick rinse before moving to scrub at her eyes, hoping to remove the last traces of make-up still encrusting her lashes. It was almost useless with only water, the black stains just smudging further down her cheeks. _Oh well. _She sighed softly at her reflection, her hands reaching up to twist in her long dark hair. She fashioned the tresses into a loose knot at the nape of her neck, something which would never have worked had her hair been cleaner. _At least that's something, _Pepper thought wryly, rolling her eyes at her own line of thought; she had no time for optimism right now. She was keeping people waiting, very important people.

_Ohh God, I don't want to go out there! _

Flicking her hands nervously she forced her feet to move toward the door, her mind reeling with ideas of what to expect. What would this _alien-being _look like? What would _L _look like? Would he be just like every other authority figure? Like ever other detective? Pepper smiled slightly when a picture of Sherlock Holmes flickered passed her mind's eye. She could deal with Sherlock Holmes. Something about the hat and the pipe made the whole scenario far less intimidating. _If only…_

_

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_

Truth be told, it was another 37 minutes, 2 mini breakdowns, 4 longing looks at the shower and 3 subtle underarm checks (after which she decided to avoid lifting her arms at all costs), that Pepper finally emerged from the bathroom, her mind in a state of foreboding.

Mr. Aihara stood awkwardly outside the bathroom door, his hands clasped in front of him and his face looking sheepish. "You…ready?" he asked finally, his voice conveying his discomfort.

Pepper's cheeks reddened. "Yeah, I think so." God knows she wasn't getting any readier.

Giving a brief nod, Aihara signaled for her to follow him down the hallway, his pace thankfully slower than usual, allowing Pepper to hang back and try to remain composed. Her mind raced as she wiped her sweaty palms down the front of her T-shirt.

_I'd still be restrained if this was going to be bad news, right? _

Not necessarily…but surely they would have figured out she had nothing to do with those tapes? She felt her body tense. In the back of her mind she knew that this meeting could be about something completely different. She hoped not. Shaking her head dismissively, Pepper tried to focus on her surroundings, her eyes darting anxiously from wall to wall, floor to ceiling. He nose crinkled. _Why was everything beige? The carpet, the walls, the ceiling…reminds me of Grandma's…_

Completely irked by the colour scheme, Pepper almost walked directly into the back of her escort. She jumped back skittishly, her nose having been a hair's-breadth away from another humiliation…wait, scratch that…_Bollocks. _Mr. Aihara had already tilted his face in her direction, noticing how strangely close her body was to his own. _Just great…_

"Sorry," she apologized timidly as she moved to stand by his side, making sure that there was a comfortable distance between them.

Aihara simply grunted in response and shifted his feet slightly further away.

The hall had been a lot shorter than what was originally perceived, the small space having quite quickly spanned out into what was a rather large living area. This room (complete with kitchenette, lounges and a flat-screen television) was still in keeping with the beige colour scheme, however, it was exceedingly more inviting than the blandness of the hall, and, to its credit, Pepper kind of liked the whole 'minimalist thing' it had going on.

And yet, despite the pleasing décor and the precision in which the room had been decorated, she found that her eyes had zoned in on the one thing that appeared out of place, the one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb. Not that it was difficult. The man certainly was _something_…What? She couldn't say. _Is this the person I'm here to meet? Is this really L?_

The dark haired man in question, was bizarrely perched, knees curved to his chest, in one of the navy-blue armchairs. His thin, lanky body bent precariously forward, leaning over the low coffee table where a lap-top and what appeared to be a cake-box were carefully placed. He seemed completely unfazed by their arrival, and Pepper wondered if he had noticed them at all. Mr. Aihara, sharing her thoughts, cleared his throat purposefully, just to be sure. However, judging by the somewhat annoyed expression which appeared on the young man's face, it was completely unnecessary. He was well aware of their presence.

"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa. That will be all."

Pepper jolted at the sound of his voice and the implication of his words, her head spinning around to quirk a questioning brow at her escort. _Aizawa? _

For his part, Aizawa did appear taken back by the unexpected revelation, and briefly he even seemed a little guilty. Pepper watched as his jaw tensed and after shooting her an awkward glance, he turned silently to go back the way he came, leaving Pepper standing alone in the entrance to the hotel's main room. Her stomach dropped as she stood there uncomfortably, her heart hammering away at her ribcage. She had not realized how much comfort had come with Mr. Aihara's-_no Aizawa's _presence. Why had he given her a false name?

"_You may come in Miss. Collins…unless, of course, you would prefer to lurk in the doorway?" _

Pepper jumped at the sound of the smoothly spoken English, her eyes darting back to the only other occupant of the room. The young man's eyes did not meet hers, and instead remained trained on his laptop. She frowned; it was almost as if he hadn't spoken at all.

_This is weird, _she thought bemusedly as she forced herself to walk further into the room and over to the opposing couch. She hesitated briefly before taking a seat on the middle cushion, directly across from her interviewer.

_My God, he's young...and pale. Really, really pale. _

Pepper squinted and tilted her head to the side, watching as his thin, spider-like fingers danced over the keyboard. Somehow, she just could not match the haunting voice from the past week, with this scruffy-looking youth. _Maybe he's a stand-in. _She thought about this for a moment before dismissing it completely. No one in their right mind would choose this guy to represent them.

The soft 'click' of the laptop closing caused Pepper's head to snap up and her nerves to return tenfold. She fidgeted with her hands, pulling and tapping away at her sweaty fingers. _Deep breaths, Pepper!_ She tried desperately to calm down and look presentable, (well, as presentable as one could look under the circumstances) but she was positive, judging by the wide-eyed stare of the man sitting across from her, that she must look like a complete train wreck. She dropped her gaze to her lap. If he was going to out-right stare at her, she was at least going to pretend not to notice. That was the polite thing to do right?

A few minutes passed before Pepper felt confident enough to lift her eyes once more, feeling extremely relieved to see that the dark-haired man had finished his silent scrutiny and was now leaning forward to retrieve a heavily sprinkled doughnut from the cake-box.

"_Now, as you may or may not have concluded on your own…"_ he began indifferently, the sound of his voice again causing Pepper to jolt, _Ohh yeah, this has to be the guy that's been taunting me all week. _

Her eyes followed him as he switched the doughnut from one hand to the other and licked the tips of his fingers, his food apparently taking priority over what he was to say next._ "…I am L. However, for safety reasons, I must ask that you refrain from calling me by that name."_

Pepper furrowed her brows._ "So…what am I supposed to call you?"_ she asked hesitantly, still somewhat entranced by his strange mannerisms.

"_You are to refer to me as Ryuuzaki." _L replied around a mouthful of doughnut,and while it was not meant to confuse, it certainly did raise some questions for Pepper. Despite having dark hair and eyes, both common traits in Japanese people, it was very obvious that L was not, in fact, Japanese. _So, why the name?_

Deciding that now was not the time to dwell on L's choice of alias, Pepper sat back and waited for him to continue.

L's eyes narrowed slightly and he bent further forward in his seat._ "There are a number of issues which need to be addressed in this meeting, but I can see that you are nervous, so I will endeavor to keep things brief." _

Pepper nodded weakly, that sounded good to her.

"_Firstly, I would like to say that, while I do not make a habit of revealing my face to the public, even more notably, criminals, I would not be doing so if you were still a plausible Kira suspect. Therefore-"_

"_You mean, I'm not?" _Pepper cut in hopefully, a smile bursting across her face and relief filling her stomach. It was about time she had some good news thrown at her.

L sat unmoved by her abrupt interruption, blinking his large, tired eyes, once, twice…_"No, Miss. Collins. I can confidently say that you are not Kira, nor are you the 2__nd__ Kira; however, that does not change the fact that you __**are**__ considered a criminal." _

Pepper's face immediately dropped and a bitter chill ran down her spine. _Shit. This is bad…really, really bad…I'm going to jail…Ohh Gods, the nauseas back. _

"_Do you need to be excused again, Miss. Collins? You have become quite pale." _L inquired coolly, his dark eyes flickering between his half-eaten doughnut and Pepper's distressed face.

_Funny, you don't seem concerned, _she thought irritably, her eyes glaring at the floor. _"N-no, I'm fine." _She replied firmly, her eyes flashing up to meet his. _"You're sending me back, aren't you?" _

With one long finger, L scraped the remaining icing from the top of the doughnut and proceeded to place the sticky digit in his mouth. _"Mmm…now __**that**__ will depend entirely on you." _

Pepper frowned, her eyes being drawn to the detective's mouth as his tongue dashed out to sweep a lone sprinkle from his bottom lip. _"What do you mean?" _

"_Well…you do have quite a patchy record Miss. Collins; therefore, you can not simply be released as originally intended." _

Pepper thought about this, her teeth clenching as intense images of four years prior flickered before her eyes, forever raw and forever frightening. She did not want to go back, not yet. _"Well…what…if I'm not to be released…" _She stumbled over her words, already feeling as though her throat was closing over.

L watched as the young woman began to crumble, her blue eyes brimming with unshed tears. He sighed softly, to him, crying was nothing more then a senseless waste of time…and yet, he was not completely immune to the display. He glanced around the room. Not spotting any tissues, L slipped from the chair and headed for the kitchen, only to return minutes later with a thick roll of paper towel. After handing it to the teary-eyed girl, who accepted his offerings with a watery smile, he returned casually to his seat and waited.

Pepper sniffed softly, wiping gently at her eyes. The kind gesture had been something of a shock- a pleasant one- but not what she would have expected from a man who spoke with such indifference. She looked up at him then, eyes apologetic and cheeks tinted red. _"I'm sorry."_

L shook his shaggy head. _"An apology is unnecessary, I am afraid I have not been clear. What I meant to say was, while your deportation is a likely scenario, it is only one of two options."_

Pepper's face lit up at his revelation, her excitement causing L to frown. It was obvious she would jump at any alternative, but was that really what he wanted? _"Please do not take this lightly, Miss. Collin's. If you were to remain here you may be worse off than if you chose to return and face the courts in London. Having inspected your file, I'd say, given that you have a good lawyer, you may be sentenced to six to ten years if found guilty. True, it is a daunting prospect, but at least you would get away with your life. Unfortunately, I can not guarantee the same if you were to remain here." _

Pepper bit her lip, her eyes moving to stare at the slither of glass not covered by thick blue curtains. _If I were proven guilty…six to ten years…_ She dragged her gaze away from the window and back to L. _"What would be required of me…if I were to stay?"_

"_Hmm, well, you must understand that information regarding the Kira investigation is being kept strictly confidential, therefore, until we have made an agreement, and I have confirmed that your assignment is needed, you will not be told any specifics." _L's dark eyes trailed down to the cake-box as he spoke, and a thumb settled contemplatively at his bottom lip, slightly muffling his words.

"_But…how am I supposed to make a decision if I don't know what's being asked of me?" _

She was becoming increasingly frustrated by L's constant vagueness and her current anxiety wasn't helping matters. She sucked in a calming breath. _"You said that I may not even be needed, what happens then?" _

L tilted his head, watching as the emotions passed over Pepper's face. She was not being as hasty as she was previously, now slowing down to think through her options. _"Regardless of whether or not you are needed, if you choose to cooperate, you will be compensated, and your involvement in the capture of Kira will be duly noted."_

Pepper rolled her eyes, her shoulders slouching forward so her elbows could rest on her knees. _"'__**Duly noted**__'__**, **__sounds like I'll get a quick pat on the back and be sent on my way. I'd probably end up right back where I started." _She mumbled miserably, dropping her chin to her hand. Honestly, did he think she was a complete idiot? Why would she put herself in such a dangerous position if all she'd receive in the end was recognition and maybe a pay-off?

"_No, once again, you misunderstand…" _

The low monotone caused Pepper's body to tense and for a second she stopped breathing all together.

L flexed his toes and leaned forward in the chair, his impossibly dilated pupils intensely focused on drained young woman before him. _"Emery Collins, I intend to acquit you of your previous charges…" _

_

* * *

_

**A/N **Finally! Chapter 3 is finally done! Hope you enjoyed it, although admittedly there are things I would have like to have improved… But anyways, sorry for taking ages with the updates, I'm afraid I have had quite a hectic month.

**Please, please review!** And if anyone is interested in being a BETA reader for me, please let me know!


	4. Revelations

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Death note, or any aspects of existing plot. **

**A/N **Thank you SO much to everyone who has been reviewing, or adding this story to their favourites or alerts! The response I got for the last chapter was really unexpected and totally wonderful! Thank you all so much! :D

_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

**Large blocks of **_italics _**will also be used to communicate flash backs or memories. I hope it isn't too confusing.**

**Chapter 4 –Revelations  
**

The water fell around her weary body, washing away the debris of the past six days. How long had she yearned for this shower? And now…_I can't even bloody enjoy it._ She ran her hands methodically through her hair to rinse the remains of the conditioner, her face tilting back to let the warm water slide over the contours of her face. This would be relaxing, _if only I had less on my mind…_

"_R-Ryuuzaki?" Pepper asked slowly, her tongue stumbling over the pronunciation of the foreign name. "What- what about Kameko? You've released her already, right?" _

_The shaggy-haired detective frowned. "Miss. Collins, your roommate was never detained." _

_Pepper gawped._

No way.

_She could feel the anger building, her body launching up out of her seat as her voice broke from her throat. "What do you mean she was never detained? How could you suspect me and not her? __**She**__ was Misa's friend! __**She**__ was the one who helped with the tapes! I told you this!" _

"_Yes, you are correct. Miss. Saito was a more likely suspect than you, and in turn, she should have been detained. However…" L paused to take in her frazzled form, hair shaken from its hold, hands in fists by her sides. She looked like she was about to break. "Pepper Collins, Kameko Saito has been missing for the past nine days…"_

_Pepper's mouth fell open, and her blood ran cold. _Missing? Kameko is…Missing? _"N-no!" Pepper felt her knees weaken, forcing her to drop back down on to the lounge. She turned her eyes on L. "She said she was going to visit her family…She said she'd be back… Did you check there? Maybe she decided to stay longer! Maybe she…"_

"_I'm sorry Miss. Collins, but her family was, indeed, contacted and no one has heard from her in over three months. An investigation has begun in regards to her disappearance, but…" L allowed his words to trail off, his perpetually clear mind temporarily jarred by the anguish splayed across the young woman's face. _

_Pepper's body trembled, and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down hard to keep from crying out. They were never close, Kameko and her. They had never really gotten along. But, that didn't mean she didn't appreciate her. Of course she did. She was her company for the past three and a half years._

_Swallowing thickly, Pepper raised her head, her eyes seeking out those of the detective before her. She shivered slightly, unnerved by the depth of his gaze. "L…" she murmured, forgetting to use his alias. "Do you think…do you think she's…alive?" _

"_This is not the first disappearance of its kind, but…there is still a…25% chance she is still alive…"_

Pepper sighed as she shut off the water. With odds like that, it was almost hopeless…Then again, maybe L was wrong. _Pfft wrong!_ Even she knew how unlikely that was. _He isn't the 'World's greatest Detective' for nothing. _

Pushing clumsily through the plastic curtain, Pepper stumbled out of the shower, her feet just barely missing the bath mat. Water splattered across the floor, pooling in the cracks of the tiles and gliding steadily towards her carelessly positioned, clean clothes.

Yes, _clean_ clothes.

Upon L's departure, Pepper was pleasantly surprised to find that not only had the fridge and bathroom cupboards been enthusiastically stocked, but, rather presumptuously, some of her own clothing and effects had been retrieved as well. It seemed the strange, panda-eyed detective was quite confident she would assist him in his plight and therefore, would need more than just the clothes on her back.

Pepper knew that he was right in his assumption but a part of her, the more spiteful part, wanted to turn down his offer just to prove him wrong. _ That would learn him, for locking me in a cell for seven days! _She thought snidely, her pajamas still under threat of oncoming water.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Pepper cursed as she quickly wrapped a towel around her torso and jumped to rescue the endangered garments.

She groaned as she looked down at the clothing clutched in her hand, the water from her skin gradually darkening the colourful fabric. _How annoying, _she sighed, tossing the miss-matching pajamas upon the vanity and proceeding to dry her body. _God,_ her mind was all over the place tonight, and she couldn't blame all of it on stress.

For some reason, much like with socks, Pepper could never seem to find a corresponding pair of pajamas. It did not matter how recently they were purchased, or with how much precision she stacked them in her draws, somehow one member of the pajama partnership would always vanish, only to join all her missing socks, jocks and bobby pins in random-crap-limbo. Not that it really mattered. In all honesty she rather liked the hideous clash of colours and patterns the odd garments created. Really, it amused her, if only for a little while.

Take tonight's ensemble for example, the top was a favourite of hers, a soft purple and white t-shirt with the slogan "Give cheese a chance" and a lame picture underneath to illustrate. It was silly, but that's exactly why she liked it.

The pants, however, were a different story.

She had received them five or six Christmas' ago from her Gran who, to this day, is a strong believer of create, reuse, and recycle. Now Pepper loved everything her Gran made for her, but, it was more than obvious that these pants were kitchen curtains in a past life. _Ugly curtains._

Pepper smiled sadly as she slid into the floral home-made slacks, her thoughts wandering far beyond the clothing- to London, to her family. She missed home…and she missed Gran. She bit her lip softly and locked her eyes on the mirror, taking in the train-wreck which was her outfit. _Good, _she thought decisively as she straightened her shoulders. Although she may not see nor hear from her family for a long time yet, she could at least wear these pants with pride and know that she has people waiting for her to return. _God's now I'm just being cheesy…_

A ghost of a smile pulled at her lips as she moved to hang her towel on the back of the door, her mind allowing her a slight reprieve from its angst. She enjoyed the warmth her current thoughts were bringing her, it was a welcome change from the dwelling, worrying and mourning of the past week. After all, memories of ones family are always going to be better than Kira, detectives or…a lost roommate…

Pepper froze briefly, the smile wiped from her face. The reprieve was over and her mind was flooded with _Kameko_ once again. She exited the bathroom and headed for the kitchen. She needed something to drink, and luckily, L had provided. Well…maybe the hotel did. She couldn't really imagine L including tiny little bottles of alcohol in his list of necessities.

Wrenching open the full-sized fridge, Pepper began loading her arms with miniature alcoholic beverages, her face screwing up when her hand wrapped around the tiny bottle of Midori, her least favourite drink. Usually she would avoid the green substance like the plague, _bad experiences, _but tonight she would drink anything she could get her hands on. Desperate times call for desperate measures...

"_And I'm bloody desperate!"_

Closing the fridge with a bump of her hip, she stumbled over to the largest lounge and flopped down in front of it, emptying her arms on the low coffee table. She took her time organizing the bottles, lining them up in order of which she'd drink first. The Baileys being the first and the Midori, of course, being the last, God knows she'd have to be pretty tipsy to go near _that_ stuff.

Rolling her shoulders, Pepper relaxed back against the lounge. Seven miniature bottles. It wasn't much; certainly not enough to get her drunk, but, it would be enough to take the edge off. Swiping the Baileys from the table, she wasted no time cracking the seal and raising the small bottle to her lips, the milky liquid sliding heatedly down her throat.

The hotel room was dark and quiet. _Empty…_much like the cell had been. Pepper drew her knees into her chest, her body instinctively folding in on itself. At least during her confinement she knew she wasn't alone. As creepy as it was, there was always someone watching.

L had given her four days to make a decision. Four days during which she was not allowed to leave the Hotel. That meant she was going to have to get used to the expanse of empty space, and lack of human contact, or…

Her eyes trailed to the mobile phone sitting in the corner of the table.

_No, it's too soon…He wouldn't take me seriously…_

_But then again… _

She reached her hand out…

_No, no…too soon. _

…and wrapped it around the Vodka.

* * *

She had managed to hold out until morning before making the first call.

After waking on the lounge room floor, legs sprawled beneath the coffee table, cell phone clutched in her hand; Pepper decided that one night had been more than enough time for her to make a life-altering decision.

Her hand gripped the phone, her fingers hovering hesitantly over the green talk button.

God, talking to L was intimidating.

But what other options did she have? After many days of solitary confinement, Pepper was becoming desperate for social interaction.

Steeling her features, Pepper pressed down on the button, and with a deep breath, she raised the phone to her ear.

The phone rang once. _Ohh God, please don't pick up._

Twice. _Don't pick up._

Three times. _He's not going to pick up, maybe I should just-_

"_Yes?" _

Pepper's breath stuck in her throat. _"R-Ryuuzaki?"_

"_You have called to accept my proposal?"_ The voice drawled back.

"_I-uhh-yes, I have."_ Pepper stuttered as she struggled to get up from the carpeted floor. A strange sound could be heard on the other end of the phone, and she pressed the receiver closer to her ear.

"_Mmm, I assumed as much," _the detective replied, his voice now seemingly muffled. _"Although, I had thought you'd phone sooner."_

Pepper sighed, _"I didn't want to seem too hasty." _

"_I see."_

The phone fell silent and Pepper knew that if she didn't speak up now, the conversation would be coming to an abrupt end. _"Uhh, L?"_

"_-Ryuuzaki."_

"_Ryuuzaki…Umm, now that I have agreed to help you with this case…does that mean that I will be, you know…" _Pepper fumbled for the right words, _"uhh… relocated to…where you are?" _

"_You find the hotel unsatisfactory?" _

"_No, no…The hotel is fine."_ She assured quickly, _"I'm just sort of __**bored**__, I guess."_

The rustling sound was heard once more and it became obvious that the man on the other end was eating. _"Hmm, well, I am afraid that at this stage of the investigation, it is not apparent whether or not you will be needed, therefore, you are not permitted at task force headquarters."_ He paused for a moment as if to swallow whatever was sliding around in his mouth, before continuing in his regular blunt tone, _"So to answer your question, no, you will not be relocated." _

Pepper frowned._ "But can't I just come and…I don't know, sit in the back?" _

"_No."_ L asserted bluntly_. "Now, if that is all you needed to speak to me about, I really must be getting back to-" _

Pepper's eyes widened. _"Wait! Please wait!"_

L sighed, exasperated. _"Is there something else, Miss. Collins?"_

"_If I can't come to head quarters…can't you just…I have been so bored and I haven't spoken to anyone in ages-" _

"-We spoke yesterday." The detective interjected sardonically.

Pepper groaned. _"No, you interrogated me yesterday! I just…please, can't you just, talk to me for a little while?" _

"_Talk? You want me__to engage in __**small talk**__ in order to decrease your boredom?"_ L retorted dryly, his voice conveying just how preposterous he believed the suggestion to be.

Pepper deflated as she moved to an arm chair and slumped down into it. _"Yes."_

L exhaled loudly and a series of noises were heard on his end.

"Matsuda!"

Pepper jolted as L's voice rang out loudly, and for a few moments he could be heard speaking to another person in Japanese.

Pepper furrowed her brow, not really able to pick up all that he was saying, but interested none the less.

She listened silently for a few more moments, and then…

"Uhhh, Hello?"

"Hello?" Pepper replied slowly.

"I'm, uhh, I'm Matsuda?"

"And I'm Pepper?"

* * *

"_You can glare at me all day. I'm not moving." _Pepper mumbled crankily as she slumped down further in the leather lounge.

It has been five days since she made the first phone call, and since then she has continued to pester L daily in hopes that he would give in and allow her to join the taskforce at headquarters. This task, however, was proving to be more difficult than she originally anticipated. After all, it did not take L long to wise up to her ploy. Before answering the phone on the second morning, the detective knew exactly what the conversation would entail, and, while he did answer the phone himself, Pepper barely had time to utter two syllables before she was offloaded on another detective. And so it was for all the phone calls to follow. She would be handed to _Matsuda,_ usually. Although on one occasion she was passed along to a man named Mogi, who believed reading the newspaper aloud was classified as real conversation. Pepper begged to differ, sorry Mogi.

Now, Pepper was a smart woman, despite her prodding, she knew perfectly well why she was not permitted at headquarters. _She knew_, just as _she knew_ she was not supposed to leave her hotel room. But, boredom coupled with loneliness can make you do things you normally wouldn't. So, as she sat in the hotel foyer, staring at the prissy woman behind the concierge desk, she made a decision. Hang what L says, she was going to leave this hotel foyer in that same way she left her hotel room! With a little bit of determination, and a whole lot of fake confidence!

With this new resolve, Pepper stood from the lounge, taking the time to throw a 'look' over her shoulder at the brunette behind the desk, before stalking towards the revolving doors. However, just as she approached the exit, a host of suited men, lawyers or councilmen, came bustling though the doors, each with their briefcases and cellular phones.

Pepper sighed and stepped aside, allowing them to pass by without any obstruction. She diverted her eyes, glancing haphazardly around the room, suddenly feeling out of place in the flurry of greys, blacks and pinstripes, her ridiculously green hoody causing her to stand out like a Storm Trooper at a Star Trek convention.

As she waited, her pale eyes settled on an elderly couple bickering over by the elevators, she found the gentleman's frustration as his wife prodded, tucked and straitened his person to be somewhat amusing, however just as the show was getting far more interesting and the man looked like he was about to make a stand, her sight was unexpectedly skewed by a fuzzy mass of black hair.

Pepper frowned and made a weak attempt to look around the hindrance, before turning her eyes on the man blocking her view.

The air in her lungs was pushed out in a hasty gush. She knew she had to get out of eyesight but she was rooted in her place.

_Mr. Aizawa. What is he doing here?_

Panic rose.

_What if he's here to see me!? How stupid can I be!? Why did I leave my room!? Oh God I am so dead…_

Swallowing thickly, Pepper tried to calm down. She watched as the familiar man disappeared into one of the elevators, the same elevator that the elderly couple had bundled into. Adrenaline consumed her as she skidded across the foyer floor, her heavy boots clunking loudly on the tiles. She stumbled to a stop in front of the first elevator, her eyes darting up to the flashing digits above the doors. The lift had stopped at _Level 2 _which meant she still had time. She jabbed frantically at the up button until finally the doors to the second elevator slid open and she jumped in without delay.

_**Level 9**_

_Come on!_

_Come on!_

_Come on!_

The elevator made its final dip, and a shrill 'bing' sounded from somewhere above her. While Pepper was anxious to get back to her room, she knew better than to dart out of the elevator in a tizzy. She exited quietly, stepping out into the hall with a smooth air of nonchalance. She paused briefly; the lift beside her was already making its descent…which meant that Mr. Aizawa was….

_Shit._

Her head jerked in the direction of her room, then back the other way, searching the far end of the hall. That's where she saw him. Well, the tail end of him.

She didn't have time to consider why. _Why_ he'd be here if not for her. She only had time to act. So once again she took off sprinting, barreling down the hall. Her heavy steps caused Aizawa to pause in the doorway, dark eyes widening with alarm.

"Hey! Woah…What are you-?!"

His long arms stretched out as if to catch her, stop her from pushing her way through the door. She lent into him, twisting, ducking, and bouncing on her tip-toes. What was she trying to achieve?

_God, what am I doing? _

She froze in the older man's arms, red faced and ashamed, confused and angry at herself for not thinking about the consequences. Or thinking things through at all! She felt Aizawa's arms drop away from her and she looked up at him, jarred by his movements. He had moved away from the door...

A familiar voice sounded from within the suite. "Come in, Miss. Collins… if you must."

* * *

**A/N **And Finally I am done. Sorry the last part was not as well edited as the rest...but I really wanted to get this posted. Ahh I am so sorry about the delay in updates...I seem to be distracted as of late. I have become...a cosplayer. hahaha yes, I am a geek I know. But if anyone wants to see some mildly amusing videos, feel free to check out my groups youtube... I have a link on my profile. Yeah. We...are so lame.

Anyways I would love to hear what you thought. Please review :) I hope to get the next chapter up much sooner!


	5. Task Force Life

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Death note, or any aspects of existing plot. **

**A/N: Hi everyone, I'm back finally! Not quite as slow as the last update….I don't think! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed/added to favourites/alerts! **

**

* * *

  
**

_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

**Large blocks of **_italics _**will also be used to communicate flash backs or memories. I hope it isn't too confusing.**

**

* * *

  
**

**Chapter 5- Task Force Life  
**

"Ahh, I'm so _bored_."

Pepper turned to the man seated beside her, tapping his foot persistently against the carpeted floor.

"Uno?" she asked knowingly, and before he even got the chance to reply she was pulling the cards from her pocket and dealing them out on the lounge cushion between them. She knew by now that Matsuda never turned down a game of cards…and over the past few days, there had been a lot of them.

She quickly found that being two of the younger members of the task force (though she herself was not a member per se) they were often overlooked in the whole scheme of things, left to observe from the back of the room. Pepper rather preferred this arrangement, but she knew that Matsuda didn't. He wanted nothing more than to be a valued member of the team.

"Draw four…and the colour is blue!" The young officer announced smugly, slapping a wild card on the top of the pile.

_Damn it. _Pepper slid four cards from the top of the pile and arranged them in her hand. One yellow seven and all the rest were green. _Someone_ didn't shuffle properly. She glanced up at the smiling Matsuda, and she whined, _"Bluuuuuee!" _

He nodded his head slightly before slumping his shoulders and pressing his thumb to his lips. A perfect imitation of L. "Yes, I believe the chance of me winning has risen to 69.2%"

Pepper's eyes narrowed, but she felt a smile tugging at her lips.

"Don't be so sure," she challenged through a broken laugh. The boy had balls, mocking the head of the task force while he sat in the very same room. Though she doubted the detective would have heard any of what they were saying anyway. He always seemed so focused, on his work…on his food…

Pepper's eyes wandered over to where L sat before the surveillance screens, lingering there for a few moments, before quickly dropping back to the building pile of cards, a blue eight now resting on top. She smirked slightly and topped it with her green eight, changing the colour.

Matsuda frowned as he drew a card from the deck. _No green ay? Interesting. _

"So Matsu, how about after this game, _which will certainly be over soon, _we go for a coffee run?" Ever since she began 'sitting in' on the investigation, L had become more lenient in regards to the 'don't leave the hotel' rule, and now that she knew the ins and outs of task force living, she was allowed to come and go as she wished providing she followed the set out precautions. Don't give out your real name; don't tell anyone where you're staying, don't get killed by Kira…yadda, yadda…

"I think, after your defeat, we could do that. Ohhh!" Matsuda blushed sheepishly, "You think we could drop by the drycleaners on the way?"

Pepper grinned as she slung another green card onto the pile. "Couldn't get that ramen stain out?"

The young man pouted. "No."

Pepper laughed quietly and nodded towards the cards. "It's your tur-"

"Miss. Collins?"

Her body jerked.

"Y-yes?" she replied, her eyes passing over to rest on the back of L's dark head.

"If you are not doing anything of _too_ much importance, I would like to have a word…"

Pepper flinched. _Jesus Christ. _ She dropped her cards face down on the lounge, and made to stand from her seat. Matsuda smiled at her encouragingly, and despite all his good intentions, all she wanted to do was strangle him._ Why couldn't it be you, he wanted to see? _She sent him a glare, and he gave her the 'thumbs up'. _Damn him. _

Stealing her features, Pepper took a deep breath and marched her way over to L, feeling all the while like a naughty child reporting to the principle's office…but that was silly. She had done nothing wrong…she couldn't be in trouble… and besides, even if she was, _what would he do? Bend me over his knee and spa-_

"Y-you wanted to speak to me?" She attempted to sound nonchalant, though, whenever she spoke with L her words seemed to lose all confidence.

The detective looked at her briefly out of the corner of his eye, before returning his focus to the screen. "How long, would you say, you have known Amane?"

_Ohhhhh… _She really should have known that this would be the topic of discussion, but then again, when does she ever have time for logic?

Pepper thought over his words, her eyes moving to the girl one the television, strapped and bound. She quickly looked away. "It's probably been…about…a year and a half?"

L turned, his dark shadowed eyes looking up at her from his seated position. "And during that time, has she ever spoken of male companions? People she may have been _involved_ with?"

Pepper squinted in confusion, _shouldn't the answer be obvious? _

Apparently L the super detective didn't think so, for he remained silently awaiting her answer, with his large eyes scrutinizing and his pale thumb prodding his bottom lip. Pepper wondered idly if he sucked his thumb when he slept. _If he slept..._

"Well…_yeah._" she replied slowly "She's _Misa Amane_, she can get whoever she wants…"

L's eyes narrowed. "I am fully aware of who she is, Miss. Collins. I would like for you to answer my question, _with thought_ this time."

Blood rushed to her cheeks and her stomach twisted in knots. Mortified. _Nice one Pepper, once again you've managed to look like a complete idiot in front of the smartest person you've ever met. _

Pepper swallowed as she met L's eyes, determined to redeem herself. "I didn't talk to Misa much, but sometimes I would hear her talking to Kameko about guys she'd met, or was seeing…" She thought about this for a moment, her brows furrowing as she recollected past conversations with the blond model. "She always seemed pretty open with everything...her relationships…"

The detective nodded. While he appeared in no way surprised by this information, Pepper thought he was somewhat satisfied by it. He peered up at her through the mess of dark bangs, a meditative crease forming between his brows. "And over this past six months, had she mentioned anyone?"

Pepper glanced at the TV screen, this time zoning in on the young man in frame two. _Light Yagami_. Had she mentioned Light? Misa's visits had become fairly infrequent as of late, however, it was entirely possible that she came by when Pepper was out of the apartment. But even so… "No. I don't recall her speaking of any one."

"Mmm, I assumed as much." L pursed his lips contemplatively, before turning to forage through the papers on the table in front of him.

Pepper watched as he teetered on the edge of his seat; though he never looked to be losing his balance, one small nudge either way would send him tumbling. Or so _she_ thought, anyway. As he continued to flick through the loose sheets of paper, Pepper looked on with increasing discomfort, not really knowing what to do with herself. "Uhh, is there…anything else you wanted me for, Ryuzaki?"

"You are going to the shopping district, correct?"

"Ah-" before she could even reply, a folded piece of lined paper was shoved into her arms.

"That is a list of the items I require."

Pepper glanced down at the rather elaborate list entitles _Requirements. _Cakes, pastries, doughnuts, chocolate syrup… Her eyes widened, the inventory was endless! _We'll be out all day if we are to find all this!_

For a few long minutes, Pepper could do nothing but gape at the strange man before her, eventually opening her mouth to utter an incredulous 'Is this all?'

"Hmm, and would you inform Mr. Matsuda, that the next time he chooses to impersonate me, I would appreciate it if he gets his percentages right." L eyed her scrupulously; his monotonous tone loud enough for all members of the task force to hear. "The likelihood of his victory is no higher than 13.8."

Pepper almost snickered. _Burn!_

* * *

The air was thick and humid,_ moist_ due to the almost continual rains. The break in the weather occurred about an hour ago; however, it is impossible to tell how long it will last. Pepper sighed as she pressed herself closer to the cool metal of the balcony railing, her thin legs laced through the gaps in the bars to dangle mid-air above the city. She closed her eyes, her feet tingling as she swung them back and forth. She had always been afraid of heights…and yet, not enough to be deterred, well…when she knew there was no danger anyway.

It was getting late (around 11:30, if she had to guess) and the rest of the task force were beginning to disband for the night, saying their goodbyes as they move out into the hall. Pepper knows she should be following them, knows that she should be returning to her room, but as usual, she stays behind. _Always the last._ She shook her head at her own foolishness. Now she had another _awkward_ and _humiliating_ exit to look forward to. Really, it wasn't worth it.

_Ohh well…_she thought as she yawned widely, her body curling further against the railing. Tonight she will be too tired to care. _Hopefully._

It had taken Matsuda and herself almost two hours to collect all of the items on L's list, and that was before they had gone to the dry cleaners, or had their coffee fix. In the end, it was a very long day, and Pepper found that lugging around boxes and boxes of desserts was absolutely no fun in the pouring rain. Especially knowing she would eat none of those desserts...that is, besides the one caramel tart she swiped to eat with her vanilla latte at lunch....Matsuda insisted that L would notice its absence, but she dismissed his concerns with a flick of her wrist. There's no way one man can keep track of every sugar-filled snack that he is apparently entitiled to. _Then again…_

The soft _crack_ of the door being opened caused her to jump slightly, and all previous thoughts flew from her mind. Suddenly the night air did not feel so relaxing.

She -_heard, saw, felt-_ him approach the railing beside her, not two meters away. She sat frozen, hoping that her stillness would allow her to go unnoticed, to melt into the scenery and disappear into the night. She was never so lucky. How long would she last without oxygen? She was good at holding her breath but… The air left her lungs in a long shuddering gush and even without facing him; she knew that L had heard it. Her face heated. She decided then that no one in this World could make her feel as small and insignificant as L can.

The awkward silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity and Pepper wondered if L was feeling the weight of it just as she was. Her hands tightened around the metal bars as she contemplated whether or not to say something. Maybe she could comment on the case, or the weather, or the night sky…. Or maybe she should say nothing. Maybe she should get up and leave with the same silence to which he arrived. _No…_She does not want him to think she is leaving on his behalf.

Pepper parted her lips to speak, but was surprised to hear that it was not her voice that broke the quiet, but _his_.

"_You __**are**__ permitted to leave, Miss. Collins."_ He affirmed wryly, his tone suggesting that he was almost amused by her behaviour. _"While it is commendable that you wish to spare my feelings, believe me, it is completely unnecessary. I am well aware that I have the tendency to make others uncomfortable." _

Pepper turned to him then, brows furrowed and mouth pressed in a thin line. Despite the intention behind his words (which Pepper was certain to be genuine) his statement only made her feel unbearably guilty. _"I'm sorry." _She replied softly, her gaze dropping to the cement floor.

L peered at her out of the corner of his eye. _"What for? My social deficiencies- of which you have no influence over-, or your own inability to hide your emotions?" _

Pepper shook her head in silent unknowing, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. _Perhaps I should have left…_

She swallowed thickly, her mind reeling back to her empty hotel suite. She honestly didn't know what was worse, remaining here in awkward silence, or returning to the solitude of her room.

As her mind continued to ponder this, she lifted her eyes to L as if staring at the culprit would make everything clearer. Low and behold, it did the opposite and she found herself flushing further. Her blue irises were cautious as they crept up his thin body, lingering slightly on the exposed skin of his collar bone before finally coming to rest on his face. The night cloaked him in blue hues, the moonlight causing his pale skin to glow like smooth white porcelain. He was almost ethereal, unconventionally beautiful, like a character in a Tim Burton film. _Edward Scissorhands… _Though instead of scissors, L would inevitably have dessert spoons.

Pepper reluctantly drew her eyes away. She had looked at L before, but until now, she had never _really_ looked at him. However, now that she had…well, she decided she preferred to be in this awkwardness than in her empty room. Unless… _"D-Does it bother you that I'm here? I mean, that I'm always late leaving…?" _

The dark-haired detective shifted to lean his elbows on the railing, resting his chin in one of his thin, skeleton-like hands. _"As long as you are not a hindrance to my work, I don't care what you do." _He dropped his gaze to the girl's dark head, his lips pursing slightly. _"However, I must insist that you do return to your room at some point each night. I'd rather not have you sleeping on my couch."_

Pepper nodded slightly as she pulled her legs back through the bars and hugged them to her chest. God, she felt like such a child with him looking down on her like that.

L watched as she began to fiddle with the hem of her jeans, her eyes following her fingers as they worked away at a loose thread. Her discomfort was blatantly obvious, but as expected, she made no move to leave. _"Tell me, Miss. Collins…as monophobic as you are, how was it you left England on your own?" _

Pepper's fingers froze, and she immediately tilted her head back to look at him.

Just as before, he was staring out into the distance and she couldn't be sure if he was actually interested in getting a reply or if his thoughts were elsewhere. After a few moments, she decided she didn't care either way.

"_I thought I didn't have a choice." _She finally answered, and something propelled her to stand from her place. _"If I could go back to that time, I probably would have stayed... Faced the music…" _She sighed sadly, _"I don't know…" _

L considered this._ "Hmm…seventeen is very young to be put in such a difficult situation. I am not surprised you fled. However, I had thought your father would have known better."_

Pepper frowned, as she ran her hands over the top of the railing. _"He always was over-protective… I wanted to go back…but" _a short laugh left her lips, _"I'm absolutely terrified of airports. I'm surprised they got me back there, when I was to come here." _

L's expression remained stoic as he 'straightened' from the rail, his hands delving deep into his pockets._ "That is understandable, all things considered." _

Pepper nodded and lowered her eyes to her hands. She knew that the conversation was over and she had to admit, she was somewhat relieved. Over the years, she had become accustomed to keeping that particular topic to herself.

Sighing softly, Pepper drew away from the railing, her feet stepping backwards towards the door. She paused to look at the man before her, hands in his pockets, breeze picking up the ends of his dark hair. She had had enough of this tonight.

_**I have the tendency to make others uncomfortable…**_

Pepper frowned at the recollection of his words, and a strange guilt settled in the pit of her stomach. He spoke the truth. She knew because she was testament to it. _Does he mind it?_ _Or does he prefer it?_

"_L?"_

The detective turned, their eyes meeting for the first time tonight. _"I don't…" _Honestly, she didn't know where she was going with this. Was she trying to reassure him? Or reassure herself? She cleared her throat, _"I don't think I've met anyone, who feels __**completely**__ comfortable…with the person they respect the most." _

L's brows furrowed and his head tilted to one side.

_Ohh, god._

The door slapped loudly behind her.

* * *

**A/N: Well it's done... and yeah it may be a little choppy, but you get that on the big jobs. **

**I hope you enjoyed it anyways. Please review! They make me so much more motivated!!**XOXOX


	6. Oddities of a genius

**`Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Death note, or any aspects of existing plot.**

**A/N Hello all! I am back finally! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and kicked their new year off with a bang! I know it has been ages, but this chapter is extra long, so hopefully it will make up for it! Also thanks to everyone who read and reviewed!**

* * *

_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Oddities of a genius**

After spending days in the same room as L, Pepper thought that she would have become accustomed to his presence. After all, that is how it worked with everyone else. Matsuda, Aizawa, Mogi…she could get a grasp on each of them. With them she could find some common ground.

_But with L…_

Well, the truth of the matter was that L was nothing like any of them. He was nothing like everyone else…and it was for that reason that he remained so alien to her.

Things had changed with their physical propinquity. While the awkwardness remained- she still tensed when being addressed, blushed when embarrassed- the utmost awe of his genius had faded, instead giving way to a feeling of bewilderment at his oddities. It was no secret that L was a strange man, but after being in his presence for almost six days, three of which having been spent seated one lounge cushion away, even his more discreet quirks became glaringly obvious.

As of three days ago, Pepper seemed to have been 'promoted' from her back-of-the-room status, and now sat beside L comparing recordings of Misa from the day she was confined, to the screen showing current footage. When she was originally appointed the task, Pepper couldn't help but think that the detective was merely using it as an excuse to break up the almost constantly running UNO game between herself and Matsuda, but after voicing these thoughts, L dismissed the idea as ridiculous. He then went on to explain- in patronizing monotones no less- that Pepper was the only person who knew Misa before the case, and therefore she had valuable insight into the blonde's true character.

It made sense, she supposed, but a small part of her thought (knew?) that L was just being a spiteful bastard.

But she sat there and did as she was asked none the less...

_My butt is going numb… _Pepper groaned inwardly as she pulled her knees up onto the lounge cushions and searched for a more comfortable position. She felt so cramped and irritable, _lethargic_…her eyes darted over to the clock on the far wall._12:52pm. _She had been sitting in this exact same spot, next to this exact same unmoving super detective, for the past four and half hours. _Four and a half hours!_ Sitting! With no breaks! That was tough. She was starting to think she'd prefer being at work. After all, if she were at work right now she would probably be slurping lemonade and wandering aimlessly around the video store. Her boss would usually take his break at 12:30 which meant she'd pretty much have free reign of the display screens and the movies they were showcasing. Pepper frowned; she had hardly spared a moments thought for her work responsibilities since all this Kira business had come about, not to mention her rent. _With Kameko gone, and my own sudden 'disappearance', I probably don't have a job or a home to go back to_. God knows, her boss wouldn't be holding her position for her…Not that it really mattered,_ it was only a dodgy video hire anyway…_

Pepper sighed as she moved her gaze to the man perched on the lounge beside her. She'd be fooling herself if she thought he was oblivious to her lack of attention. After all, she'd not looked up at the screen for a little over fifteen minutes, but even so, he had not mentioned it.

_"Do you know what's happened to our apartment?"_ she asked out of nowhere, causing the detective's dark eyes to corner over to her for the briefest of moments before returning to the screen before him.

_"Your belongings have been moved to storage."_ He replied nonchalantly as he raised his tea cup to his lips.

Pepper eyed him curiously as he swirled the liquid around in his mouth as if to decide whether it was the right temperature or more likely, sweetness. Apparently it was satisfactory as he swallowed the mouthful instead of spitting it back into the cup- which she'd seen him once do- and placed the cup back on the table with a pleased 'ah'.

She shook her head slightly at his actions. No matter the conversation, L's oral fixation always took priority. Nevertheless Pepper decided to press on. _"How much longer am I going to be here?" _she prodded softly, though she hardly expected much of an answer.

L exhaled deeply, his eyes rolling up to the ceiling and his pale lips pursing. He actually appeared to be contemplating her question, though she couldn't be sure if it was just a facade._ "That depends entirely on Kira…"_ he replied vaguely with no intention of elaborating further.

_Bastard." _

The whole situation was becoming so tiresome.

_"I don't see why you can't tell me what it is you want me to do!"_ she began to argue. She felt like she was in limbo, not really here or there, just waiting for an inkling of what was to come, and here's L making things intentionally difficult. When the hell was she going to be filled in on the most important details, aka the ones regarding her future? _"How do I know I can do it, if you don't tell me what it is!?"_

Hearing the edge in her voice, L turned his eyes toward her- endlessly dark and ominously narrowed; he was becoming irritated with her questioning._ "You think, Miss. Collins, that I'd appoint you a task you would fail at, when I could have hired someone with much greater skill than your own?"_ He moved swiftly, face looming closer than he had ever been. _"You're here out of convenience, don't you understand?"_

Yes, she did understand, but she couldn't speak, all she could think about was the heat of his breath, the heat of his breath, the heat of his breath..._Ohh God… _He was startling up close, cheeks so pale and eyes so dark, he was utterly _frightening_. She gaped. From this proximity she could see every detail of his face, every fine black lash- perfect sweeps of ebony that framed his hauntingly wide eyes. She swallowed nervously as his eyelids dropped to half mast, thinning into an inquisitive stare. She'd not yet answered him.

_Answer him..._

_"I-ah-yes."_ She finally squeaked, blinking rapidly as she shrunk back against the arm of the couch. _Convenience, yes, _she understood_._

L looked at her strangely, his dark head tilting to one side as the cogs in his brain began to turn, piecing things together quicker than any normal human. Pepper didn't like that expression; it made her feel like all her secrets were jotted plainly across her face, it made her nervous. _Nervous being an understatement…_His breath hit her face once again, and she found herself holding held her own, lungs and lips locked tight, fingernails sinking deeply into the red fabric of the lounge, her skin so tight over her knuckles.

Unexpectedly, the detective pulled away…

And_ God_, how she deflated. With his eyes now safely returned to the monitor, it was as if her body's tension immediately popped like a helium balloon. She could breathe again. _Think_ again, although…

_Ohh bollocks, shit, fuck…Christ! _

…at the moment, obscenities were all that came to mind. Closing her eyes, Pepper tilted her head against the back of her seat, her hair- gathered at the back of her head- making the position over all uncomfortable, but she was suddenly too exhausted to care. Why did he take so much out of her? Why'd he have to be so difficult! If he'd just answer her questions properly, she'd stop pestering him with them...and they could go back to their almost comfortable silence.

Pepper tensed her jaw as she rolled her head to face him once more, staring at him down the bridge of her nose. He was chewing at the tip of his thumb, gnawing at the skin. She wanted to slap him._ "Why won't you tell me anything? I already know about the case...It'd make no difference if you told me..."_ She argued weakly, her voice soft and broken.

_"Because, it is as you said,"_ the detective shrugged his hunched shoulders, _"it will make no difference."_

_"Well then,"_ Pepper huffed, still not understanding where the problem lay,_ "just tell me!"_

_"No, I do not think I will..."_ he quipped slyly, his voice trailing off and his attention suddenly being drawn elsewhere. Pepper once again opened her mouth to argue but was stopped by a poignantly raised finger. She quietened immediately and watched as he dipped one pale hand into the pocket of his faded blue jeans. _"Excuse me one moment..."_ he asserted feebly as he delicately flipped open his humming cell phone and raised it to his ear, while she assumed the gesture was a polite one, his tone seemed to warp the statement into one of rudeness.

Pepper sat back in her chair and waited for his conversation to end, inclining her head in the opposite direction so as to seem like she was not listening. Not that there was much to listen to even if she were- which she wasn't- just a succession of mmms and the occasional yes or no. She had to wonder how Watari felt, being forced into these constant one-sided conversations; however, she thought he would have to be used to it by now. _How long has he been with L anyway?_ It must be some time, maybe he'd been with him from the beginning... A relative maybe? '_They don't look alike'_ her mind helpfully supplied, but it didn't quash the notion completely. After all, she couldn't imagine L resembling anyone, family member or otherwise...

Pepper pursed her lips thoughtfully as she returned her gaze to L, who, she was startled to find, was staring right back at her, his conversation over and the phone returned to its denim home. Repressing the impulse to jump, she met his eyes with a questioning quirk of her brow, and silently she congratulated herself for appearing collected and nonchalant.

L was not so easily fooled, however, finding her forced display of indifference to be more amusing than intimidating. His lips curled ever so slightly as he mentally envisioned her reaction to his next statement. _"It seems you may get your way soon enough, Miss. Collins..."_

Just as expected, her facade dropped.

* * *

"Does anyone else get the feeling that this investigation is going _nowhere?_" Pepper groused as she kicked an empty cola can down the sidewalk, the thin aluminium clattered noisily across the damp cement. Despite her humdrum attitude, it did feel good to be out of the hotel, but with things going the way that they were, she only wished it was for more than just a quick lunch.

Aizawa scowled at the young woman, but nodded his agreement anyway. "Yeah, I know what you mean…"

"But it's good too, right?" Matsuda piped in, quickening his pace to walk beside Pepper. "It means that Light is innocent! He'll be released soon, and the Chief can come back to headquarters!"

"Not necessarily…" Aizawa deadpanned and Pepper watched as Matsuda's face dropped considerably. "Ryuzaki doesn't seem convinced…"

The young detective pouted, rubbing absently at the back of his hand. "I still don't see why we can't tell Light."

Pepper rolled her eyes, her lips quirking up at the corners. "You're just sore that Ryuzaki slapped you…honestly Matsuda, you kinda deserved it."

Matsuda's mouth slung agape and his footing faulted. _Deserved it? _It took a few moments for his mind to grasp that notion, and when he finally did…well, he realised he was now standing alone on the sidewalk.

"I did not!" He shrieked childishly, as he jogged a few steps to catch up with the trio. Apparently no one had noticed his state of shock or his sudden lagging.

Pepper laughed when he finally fell into step with the rest of them, his distress clear on his face. _He can be so thick sometimes…_ "I'm just joking Matsu! Ryuzaki was just being…_Ryuzaki_."

Matsuda sighed regretfully, his broad shoulders slumping and his chin dropping to his chest. "I think he hates me." He mumbled under his breath, his tone quiet and sulky.

"You got that right!" Aizawa chortled with utmost certainty and both Pepper and the perpetually silent Mogi, shot him a stern look. The afro-haired officer merely shrugged and continued walking as if he had not just reduced his work mate to the brink of tears.

Pepper watched as the older man wove his way through the crowd. There was no question that Mr. Aizawa was one of the most honest and outspoken of the taskforce members, always having his two cents and getting straight to the heart of things. Pepper admired his bluntness, he did not care whose toes he steps on. She only wished that he'd stop stamping on Matsuda's, god knows the poor guy's feet must be well and truly broken by now. But, on the other hand, _maybe it's time for Matsuda to invest in some steel-capped boots…_

Pepper slowed her pace and placed a comforting hand on her new friend's arm, the young detective's face immediately flushing with the contact.

"He doesn't hate you." She placated, though she really didn't know how much truth was in her statement. The fact was, when it came to L, she really didn't know much about anything.

"Well why does he act like he does?" Matsuda continued, his eyes dropping away from hers and his bottom lip jutting.

Pepper huffed, "Why does Ryuzaki do anything? I don't know…" she continued flippantly, her voice rising as she pulled away, "It's not like he treats _me_ any different."

The small group fell silent, contemplating her statement as they entered a small familiar café. They had been coming here off and on for the past week or so, it's main attraction being its convenience and perpetual emptiness. It was not fancy, and it paled in comparison to the restaurants surrounding, but it suited their needs and that was good enough for them. Automatically they headed for a booth in the very back, slumping in their seats and taking up their menus, though each of them already knew their options and had a good idea of what they were going to order anyway.

Matsuda fiddled with his tie broodingly, his back now slouched in the corner of the booth. "I think he's gay." he announced finally, and all three of his companions looked up from their menus.

Mogi snorted from across the table, the bizarre sound causing all eyes to turn in his direction. "How'd you figure that one?" He bellowed mirthfully, the ridiculousness of Matsuda's statement all too much.

Aizawa and Pepper began laughing along, and Matsuda became increasingly uncomfortable. "I-well…" he stammered, now feeling the need to defend himself. "Just look at the way he stares at Light!"

Aizawa rolled his eyes, "Don't be an idiot! Light's under surveillance, of course he's going to stare at him!" he scolded offhandedly, his attention now returning to his menu, but the smirk was still present on his face.

Matsuda sighed. "But, it's not just that!" he persisted, throwing his hands up dramatically. "He shows no interest in Pepper, what-so-ever!"

The group stared at him once again, the male counterparts actually considering his argument before brushing it off once again.

"That doesn't make him gay, Matsu!" Pepper guffawed dismissively, her cheeks heated and turning a brilliant red. This was not a subject she wanted to breech, especially now that she had been spending more time with the guy.

She had to admit though, Matsuda did have a point. L did not show her any courtesies. In fact, he treated her more carelessly than the rest of the taskforce (with the exception of Matsuda, of course). He did not do it in a malevolent way, he just acted…completely disinterested. But did that make him gay?

Pepper thought about this for a second, but only drew up a blank. "I always thought he was asexual..." She stated musingly and Mr. Aizawa threw down his menu with a resounding 'thwack'.

"Why the hell are we still talking about this? There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Ryuzaki is gay…and really he-"

"No evidence!?" Matsuda interrupted, his eyes alight with determination.

Aizawa brought a hand to his forehead in annoyance. "No, no, no! We're not talking about this anymore! The idea of Ryuzaki…and...."

"What about the other day!" Matsuda cried, his voice raising an octave. "She was right in front of him and he didn't even look!"

Pepper's eyes widened. _She?_

"You guys remember!" he went on, not noticing the threatening looks he was pelted with. "When Pepper knocked off all those reports and she was wearing that green tank top and when she bent down to pick em up we could all see down her-"

"Shut up you idiot!" Aizawa warned, and Mogi distributed a firm kick under the table.

The young man looked affronted as he rubbed his bruising shin. "What was that fo-"

Then it hit him, his dark eyes panning over to the furious brunette beside him.

"You're all on thin ice! I swear to god, _thin_ ice."

* * *

The rest of their lunch went by without a hitch. They ate, they talked, they paid, they left. However, upon leaving the small café, Mr. Mogi took it upon himself to pull the youngest detective aside and have a quiet word pertaining to their recent discussion.

Now the typically quiet man had never really been one for maliciousness, but in some cases a lesson needed to be learned. This was one of those cases.

"You know, I think you might be right about Ryuzaki…" he began conversationally.

Matsuda's eyes widened and his face filled with a strange hope. "Really?"

Mogi nodded. "Yeah." he replied, casting his eyes around the room before letting them settle back on Matsuda. "Ryuzaki's led a pretty sheltered life; he probably doesn't know how to express his feelings."

The younger detective frowned. "So? What does that-"

"Well, his way of expressing himself is very primitive, much like that of, say…a primary school student? He releases his feelings of affection as insults and teasing…bullying…"

Matsuda's mouth dropped open as he stared up at the older man. Was he suggesting? No he couldn't be… "You think he…." Mogi nodded. "…on me?"

Mogi turned away from the younger man, a small smile threatening to crack over his lips. Yes, revenge is sweet.

* * *

Pepper was tired. So, _so_ tired. And cold. Really, really cold. The air conditioning in this room was set incredibly low and it wasn't helping matters that her jacket was hanging lazily behind the bathroom door in her room all the way down the hall. _Stupid thing, it's never where I want it to be. _Knowing, however, that she wouldn't get up to retrieve her wayward garment -her laziness prevented that- she drew her knees closer to her body, shuffled away from the arm rest and manoeuvred her legs to the side, all in hopes that a new (slightly awkward) position would help conserve body heat. She sighed. No such luck.

Disappointed by her small failing, Pepper looked up at L- who was sitting nearer than usual by no fault of his own- hoping that he was experiencing the same chill as she was, but upon seeing his customary perch and his thumb wedged between his front teeth, it was obvious that he was facing no such discomfort. She rolled her eyes. She doubted he ever felt the cold, after all, nothing in this world could compare to his chilly disposition....

Maybe she was being a little harsh.

Her pale eyes slid over to him again, her fingers subconsciously coming up to play with her own mouth, as if to mimic the thumb resting at his. She could never understand the significance of the gesture besides the rather pretentious notion of appearing more thoughtful. But surely L, as intelligent as he is, didn't need to appear thoughtful, to actually be thoughtful? That was just ridiculous. So why did he do it?

Even from where she sat- which was certainly not far away by anyone's standards, but far enough so that she was not looming over him- it was easy to see how sharply his teeth were sinking into the tip of his thumb, breaking the skin in some places and colouring it purple in others. It looked painful. She frowned slightly and not for the first time, she wondered if he sucked his thumb when he slept...or if the fixation was merely a habit from childhood he had yet to grow out of.

She forced her own hands down into her lap, passing one slowly over the other as the familiar feeling of longing settled low in her stomach.

She used to bite her fingernails growing up, she still did sometimes in moments of high stress or boredom, but mostly the tendency had diminished with age. Her mother hated it, whether it was the hygienic aspects of it, or the hideous click of teeth biting through nail...either way, it was always obvious she detested the troublesome habit. Pepper remembered how she'd used to pull her hand away from her mouth and imprison it in her own, her smooth hands surrounding her fingers and locking them in a gentle embrace. It was a disciplinary gesture, but Pepper knew she would never pull away; she relished in the contact way too much...

She swallowed thickly, her eyes now stinging with the threat of tears and her fingers locking around themselves. She felt so cold. Her _hands_ were so cold. Subconsciously, she found herself staring at the man beside her, her pale eyes unblinking and contemplative. Everyone else had left many hours before so once again it was just the two of them, alone in the dark of the hotel room.

Just the glare of the screens upon their faces...

And the soft hum of the air conditioning...

She knew that hours later, when she was buried beneath the covers of her bed with only herself for company, she would curse her own stupidity...

But that was not now, and so without a second thought, her hand moved of its own accord and she touched him...

* * *

**A/N Chapter 6 is finally up! Sorry again for the delay! Please review and let me know what you thought and if you're nice I'll try and be a less lazy bum and get another chapter up much sooner! XOXOX**


	7. Her and Him

Disclaimer:

**I do not own any of the characters from Death note, red Dwarf, Alien or any aspects of existing plot.**

**A/N Hello again! I'm back with another chapter, bringing it to you a bit quicker this time! Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed, you really did keep me writing this month!**

* * *

_Italics – _Thoughts

"_Italics in inverted commas" – _dialogue spoken in English

**All other dialogue is to be assumed as Japanese**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Her and Him**

He'd entered the room in furtive poise, just as he always did. With the wheels of the dessert cart moving silently, almost completely muffled by the plush beige carpet beneath his feet, he was nearly undetectable as he glided across the floor. Directly, he made his way towards his young Master, who was perched on the sofa at the front of the room. Beside him, the petite brunette woman who had once been a suspect, was seated with her head bowed and eyes downcast, fiddling with something in her lap. He was unsurprised by her presence as she seemed to be a regular occupant in the detective's hotel suite ever since she charged her way in almost a week ago; however, as he continued to draw closer to the ornate red sofa and around the side of the arm rest, he found his impeccable composure dissipating.

In the days recently passed, Watari could not help but notice the strange manner in which the girl conducted herself. Along with her rather early arrivals, she also insisted on staying back long after the task force had retired for the night. Which was a curious thing really, considering she contributed very little during her overtime- instead opting to sit silently bunched up on her end of the couch as if it were the last place she wanted to be. Despite appearances though, she would never returned to her room until it was absolutely essential, which meant she was either toppling over in exhaustion, or had been awoken by the detective himself after she'd fallen asleep in front of the surveillance screens.

Yes she was always so keen to endure, or was it reluctant to leave? _Curious indeed..._

But what was even stranger, was why L had yet to put a stop to her lingering.

Having raised the young genius from a boy, Watari knew very well how much L valued his solitude. That was, after all, one of the reasons he did not have any friends. It was not that he could not make them (for over the years there had been some potential candidates, not many, but some) he just preferred not to, viewing relationships as more of a hindrance than a necessity.

And that was precisely what made this whole scenario so baffling.

He'd never witnessed L participate in any form of closeness with anyone...at least, not since he was a small child....

And yet, there it was...

To an onlooker, the gesture would appear intimate...

But in fact, _mentally_ it was anything but...

Just a meaningless touch of skin, limbs, _beings_...

_To her_ the hand could have belonged to anyone. To a stranger, a colleague, a loved one....The appeal was that _it was what it was_. _A hand_, something warm that she could hold onto and perhaps, if she were lucky, it would hold her back...

_To him_ it was ignorable. It was nothing more than an appendage made from bone, muscle and sinew, numb and detached from the rest of his mentality. He had tensed at the first touch, his mind had whirled at the second -_shock, irritation, curiosity-_ and by the time she'd entwined her fingers with his he had relaxed in to the embrace and proceeded to block it from his mind. He simply did not acknowledge it...

Indeed, to them it was nothing...

But _to Watari_...It was a gesture that caused something in his world to shift.

As he gazed down at the obliviousness in their young faces, with their hands loosely entwined, and their minds wandering absently, noticeably distant from one another, he felt a cold sadness gripping at his heart and not for the first time he felt himself wanting more. Not for himself, but _for L_.

It was a fatherly need to see his 'son' become more.

In that moment, he wanted for L to become more than just the World's number one detective....

* * *

Pepper's dazed eyes snapped up at the sudden appearance of Watari by her side. She had not heard him come in, but had half expected him to show up at some point and therefore she wasn't too shocked when the familiar trolley came into view and the elderly gentleman began unloading cakes and confectioneries upon the coffee table. She was, however, a little unnerved by the uncharacteristic way he was avoiding eye contact as he went about his task.

She frowned. He certainly wasn't acting himself. _Had something happened? _Her brow furrowed as she began to toy idly with L's fingertips...

She froze, her gaze lowering to her lap.

_Ohh no..._

_Ohh no..._

_Ohh no..._

_Let go of him you fool!_

Coincidentally, it was at that exact same moment that L decided to reclaim his captured appendage and slide it from Pepper's grasp. His reason for moving was, of course, not embarrassment, but the need to seize the cake on the table.

But Pepper wasn't to know that.

To her, the retraction of his hand was further fuel for her humiliation. The fact was, she was going to pull away, but he beat her to it...and that made everything worse. Now she was left high and dry, alone in her mortification. What was wrong with her? What sort of an _idiot_...She was just so angry! She was red, blazing hot...but, at the same time, she was chilled to the bone. Her mind reeled with panicked questions..

_What does Watari think of me?_

_What does **L **think of me?_

_What the hell am I supposed to do now?_

She had just gone and made things all kinds of awkward and she could think of no way out of it, but to run. _It would be easy_, she concluded quickly. She just had to bolt upright and scramble out the door, down the hall, to her room, to her bed...away from their questioning gazes. She'd sleep off the embarrassment, perhaps do a little frustration induced crying, and then in the morning she'd waltz back into headquarters happy as Larry and act as if nothing had happened.

It would be easy...

_So_ easy...

_No!_ Her mind screamed.

She wanted to keep her last shred of dignity intact and to do that she had to sit here and pretend like everything was fine.

Even though it wasn't.

Its totally wasn't.

In fact it was very very shitty!

But nevertheless, the decision was made. She would sit here, with her hands safely tucked away, like a _sane _person...until Watari left.

After that...she couldn't be sure what she'd do. She would like to think that she would then get up, excuse herself for the night, and make an orderly exit...but circumstances being what they are, she probably wouldn't be so lucky.

Pepper sighed as she stared down at her wayward hands- the five fingered traitors that got her into this mess. She wondered if it were at all possible to hack off the appendages with the delicate silver splade which had previously been used to serve L's cake. Considering human tissue and bone was a lot less pliable than vanilla sponge, she assumed it would be quite the task, but entirely worth the effort.

She shook her head dismissively, it probably wasn't a good idea in the long run...then again...

She forced her eyes away, looking up just in time to see the tail end of Watari as he pushed the now empty dessert cart towards the door. He left as wordlessly as he'd entered (thankfully), and soon the gentle _click clack_ of L's fork against porcelain was the only sound punctuating the silence of the room.

She couldn't stand it.

Why wasn't L saying anything? Surely he was going to scold her, taunt her, or at least request that she never touch him again? But he remained silent. Was he letting her off?

She decided she was not going to wait around to find out.

"_I-I should get going..."_ she excused lamely as she clumsily sprung from her seat. Way too fast, it would seem, as her footing faltered and the backs of her knees collided painfully with the smooth wood of the table.

L hardly spared her a glace as he lent forward to steady his rattling tea cup, his mannerisms impossibly calm and even- the polar opposite of Pepper's. _"Yes, I suppose it is quite late." _he replied casually, after the safety of his coffee was ensured.

Pepper gaped, her face a picture of confusion. _"What?!"_

He thought she should leave _because it was late? _

_You've got to be kidding me! _Was he really letting her off that easily?

She stared at the shaggy haired detective as if he'd grown another head, and to her utmost bewilderment, she noticed that he, in turn, was looking at her in much the same way. She watched as he inclined his head slightly towards the clock on the wall, his dark unblinking eyes, never leaving hers. _"It is passed 11 o'clock,"_ he drawled informatively _"In less than an hour it will be considered early morning, but until then...my statement remains true. It __**is**__ quite late."_

Pepper was speechless. _He's insane! He's absolutely insane! _He was acting as if nothing had transpired, _like what I did wasn't even worth acknowledging! _She felt herself frown at that thought. She could not understand how someone could be so cut off from human emotions. Surely he had to know the weight of the situation, at least for her... _Perhaps I have over-reacted. Really, I should be relieved. _Her shoulders sagged as she ran a weary hand up over her face. She _was_ relieved...but at the same time...

Her eyes caught an almost indistinguishable quirk of his lips, and in an instant everything fell into place. Their eyes met and a silent understanding passed between them, satiating all of her questions. She was an idiot to think that he-who-analysed-everything would not have analysed this to the fullest extent. He remembered the feeling of her skin on his just as well as she remembered his skin on hers, but he knew that her actions held no real meaning and therefore, it could not be considered anything more than a temporary joining of limbs. No, it was not worth mentioning.

The fact that Watari witnessed such a display, well...

Pepper sighed softly, her eyes breaking away from L's as she flopped back down onto the lounge. She smiled softly as she looked up at him again. _"It's not that late..."_

* * *

Pepper stretched languidly across the mattress, her cheek sliding over its surface in to what was a cold damp patch. She groaned weakly, her mind vaguely registering the fact that she was now lying in a puddle of her own drool.

"_Nghhhh wet..." _she mumbled groggily as she felt around for her missing pillow.

_Mattress, mattress, spongy wall, mattress..._

She frowned in frustration. It must have fallen on the floor.

_That'd be right..._She thought grumpily as she dropped her arm over the side of the bed to perform a half-arsed search. Her fingertips skimmed across carpet. Had her bed always been this close to the ground? _Wait...spongy wall? Where the fudge am I? _

Opening her eyes, she was met with intense glare. She squinted blearily. TV screens.

She was in L's room.

She was sleeping in L's room, and it seems she had been for quite some time. _How strange._

It wasn't as if Pepper had not fallen asleep in this particular room before, in fact she was quite accustomed to it, but until now she had never been allowed to continue sleeping for more than a few minutes before being rudely awakened by L himself. Which raises the question, why was this time any different?

Now it was quite clear to Pepper, after thorough appraisal of incidents passed, that L took some kind of sick pleasure in waking her in the most horrific and insensitive of ways. This conclusion, of course, being drawn from the handful of times he'd had her launching off the lounge, or worse yet, tumbling to the floor in utmost terror! She recalled those times with an unconscious shudder and an almost painful tightening of her jaw.

His expression would always be the same -as she looked up at him from her place on the floor, legs akimbo and hair tousled- his face was consistently set in that wide-eyed look of wonder, with his thumb pressed thoughtfully to his lips and his head tilted ever so slightly to one side. It was as if he had no idea why she'd just sprung to life with such vigour and alarm, like he believed the whole performance was the most bizarre occurrence he'd ever seen. He acted as if he had nothing to do with it, though it was blatantly obvious that he had _everything_ to do with it, because only he could pull it off...

She'd never forget the first time she was ripped from her slumber -yelping and thrashing- by that cold garbled voice. It was so damn loud and so damn close to her ears, she'd thought she was being abducted. Her mind had reeled with images of every sci-fi movie she'd ever seen. Tentacles, slime, space ships, Sigourney Weaver...she'd hated _Alien. _She had hoped it wasn't going to be anything like _that_.

_Red Dwarf _now that was a sci-fi show that didn't seem so bad. She remembered thinking that if this abduction was anything like _Red Dwarf_, the worst that could come out of it was a few bad puns and some mediocre wise cracks. And that..._that _she could live with.

She recalled how she'd sat up to search the darkness for the familiar faces of Lister, Rimmer and the Cat, but instead found a thin panda-eyed detective slouched in an armchair. She congratulated herself then, realising that her thoughts of aliens were not that far off.

"_Something the matter, Miss. Collins?" _He had drawled casually...

She'd opened her mouth to voice her confusion but...the laptop sitting on the coffee table, speakers hooked up and placed suspiciously close to where her head had lay, was answer enough...

Pepper shook her head. Yeah, L was a rotten bastard, but she had to commend his creativity.

Now though, as she looked around the dark hotel suite, the tell tale laptop was not sitting on the table in front of her and the alien-like detective was not giving her his usual wide-eyed expression. The reality being that both elements had been removed from the room completely.

"_L?"_she called pathetically, as she sat up to perform a quick scan of the room. He was no where in sight, and for some reason, that irked her. This whole scenario irked her. L had always made a point of not allowing her to sleep on his couch, and Pepper was not naïve enough to think that it was just because he feared for the upholstery. He had procured the rule as a means to get her to leave each night, to get her to go back to her room and leave him _alone_ in his.

He wanted her to go away...

_So why did he leave me to sleep on his lounge?_

Now feeling completely perturbed, Pepper stood from her seat, fixed on finding the elusive detective and asking him -straight out- what the big deal is...

She paused briefly. That confrontation would definitely be awkward...especially after the 'incident' earlier tonight.

On second thoughts, maybe she should just make a stealthy exit and forget about it. It probably didn't mean anything anyway. For all she knew, L might have just gotten up to go to the toilet with the intention of waking her as soon as he returned, or perhaps he'd gone to get a bucket of water, or some toothpaste, or a permanent marker, or something else equally as horrible, in order to make tonight's prank a little more memorable. Pepper shuddered. _Yeah, that's probably it._

With her goal now readjusted, she immediately charted a course toward the door. It was better this way, now she could leave without the uncomfortable goodbye. God knows, she'd had enough tense moments for one day. Pepper sighed as she made her way down the hall, her body now longing for the comfort of her mattress. Yes, escape was certainly the best option. Imagine if she were to run into L now-

_**Click-clack**_

_Oh God, no._

The light that flooded the hall caused Pepper's stomach to sink like a lead balloon. She couldn't believe it. Really, she couldn't. Inwardly she wondered if it would be rude to just continue walking, but before she could consider the option seriously, she'd already stopped and turned her gaze into the brightness. _What were the chances of him-_

Her eyes widened.

There in the threshold of the bathroom, accompanied by fading clouds of steam and a rather strange halo of light, stood a very under-dressed L. Clad only in his low slung jeans....check that, _very_ low slung jeans, and the fluffy white towel that was draped over his head, the detective was –more so than ever- a complete and utter shock to her.

He was thin -Impossibly so, with a narrow waist and hip bones that jutted out at sharp angles. Pepper imagined that if she were to look at him from the back, she would see the shadow of his curved spine and a pair of very pronounced shoulder blades straining to break through his pale white skin...

But, it was not his tiny frame that amazed her, after all, everyone could see that L was skinny, even if the extent of which was hidden beneath his baggy clothing...no, the thing that shocked her was that despite all this, he appeared in no way frail. In fact, he was quite the opposite. _The boy has muscle..._she remarked mutely, her eyes involuntarily fixed on the naked torso before her. How long had it been since she'd seen a man like this? It must have been a good –she swallowed- four or so years... her skin pricked and her whole body heated. She licked her lips.

...And L cleared his throat.

Immediately Pepper jerked, the small sound akin to a slap in the face. _"I-uhh...you..." _She stammered out unintelligibly, her dinner-plate eyes snapping up to meet his face. He seemed disinterested as he worked at towelling off his hair...but Pepper caughed the quick quirk of his lips, and for the umpteenth time today, she inwardly cursed her own stupidity.

Honestly, this had to be one of the most humiliating days of her life (although, by now it would have to be morning...but either way, it had to be up there in her top 10 most horrible days ever). Unconsciously, her gaze caught on a droplet of water that had fallen from L's hair, and was currently making an escape down his chest. Okay, so maybe horrible wasn't the word.... _embarrassing, _this was one of her most embarrassing days ever...

...and somehow she knew, as her eyes followed that small droplet as it skimmed down his body only to be soaked up by the waistband of his grey cotton boxers -a twinge of jealousy in her heart- that she was indeed, making the whole situation worse for herself...

_Gahh! Bloody, God damn hormones! _

Forcing her eyes back to his, Pepper attempted to regain her composure. _"You-you didn't wake me." _she stated lamely, as the blush in her cheeks was taken to a whole new level. Mentally she set herself a reminder to smash her head into the nearest wall at the next available interval.

L stared at her for a few moments before turning around to throw the now damp bath towel back into the bathroom, on to floor along with all his other dirty clothes. _"Mmm, yes..." _he replied as he turned back around,_ "I had hoped to teach you a lesson." _

Pepper raised an inquisitive brow, quite content to allow his voice to distract from...his other attributes. Though, she did have to wonder how much longer she could stand before him, dressed the way he was, before she'd give herself an aneurysm.

Luckily for her though, L decided to make things easier, however unconsciously._"I had assumed that after spending a full night on that lounge, you'll seldom want to do it again, and therefore...save me a lot of trouble in the future." _He confessed coolly as he brushed passed her and up the hall.

Pepper gawked. _What the hell did he mean by **that!?**_

"_Hey!" _she shouted brokenly, slowly regaining her nerve. _"You know you like waking me up!"_

L didn't stop, just sent a dismissive wave over his shoulder. _"Believe what you want, Miss. Collins."_

* * *

As the telling click of the door signalled the departure of his rather flighty companion, a pensive smile played at the corner of L's mouth. _"Interesting."_

_

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_

**A/N Wooo, I am done with another chapter! The second one this month! That has to be a record for me! Yeaahhhh i'm not completely happy with the last quarter...but, I wanted to get it posted. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed...please, if you have the time drop me a review and let me know what you thought! **

**XD**


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